University of Calgary Public Archaeology Program
Department of Archaeology, 2500 University Dr. N.W. T2N 1N4 Calgary, AB, Canada

Ever wonder why land acknowledgements are so important? Check out this great article to find out more. "We can effect real change by pushing ourselves to engage in conversations with each other. That’s the goal for all of us, as professionals and community members, especially if we are in positions of power to create change and understanding. Because we are all guests on this landnobody owns her. But it’s the First Peoples who are her stewards and direct descendants, who hold the ancestral and genetic blood memory, knowledge of enriching philosophies, land-based skills and intrinsic belief systems that future generations will depend upon, regardless of cultural lineage." https://locallove.ca//what-are-land-acknowledgements-and/

Very proud of this program and honored to be trusted by our Siksika partners to help bring their initiative to fruition! https://strathmoretimes.com//archeology-and-culture-combi/

Huge shout-out to one of our Siksika community advisors, Herman Yellow Old Woman, for receiving the 2020 Lieutenant Governor's Award from the Alberta Museums Association in recognition of his contribution to Alberta's museum community and his achievement in culture and heritage. Herman, we are lucky to know you! https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/siksika-man-s-contribution-to-al

Our popular Indigenous Youth Engagement Program has expanded to offer an online learning option targeted at Grade 7-12 students! Harnessing online resources and activities, these lessons teach students about important aspects of archaeology and Indigenous heritage, tying into Alberta's social studies and science curricula. If you are an educator interested in utilizing the six available lessons with your students, please contact our program team at [email protected] for more information!

ANARKY Talk: "Learning from the Land: Co-Creation of Archaeological and Cultural Teaching as a Place-Based Learning Tool for Capacity Building on the Siksika Fi...rst Nation" by Dr. Lindsay Amundsen-Meyer. Abstract: In the fall of 2020, our team successfully completed a pilot archaeological training program on the Siksika First Nation, through our partners at Old Sun Community College and sponsored by TC Energy. The goal of this program was to engage Siksika students with culturally meaningful curriculum to foster interest in heritage and to begin to teach the skills needed for successful employment in archaeology, increasing the capacity of this Indigenous comunity to study their own history. The SA (Siksika Archaeology) 301 course curriculum, co-created by Dr. Lindsay Amundsen-Meyer and Old Sun Community College Instructor Leon Crane Bear, combined lessons on archaeological method and theory with cultural teachings related to Siksika worldviews and the Blackfoot language, the latter delivered by Siksika traditional knowledge keepers and elders. This talk will explore our teaching pedagogy and describe the unique teaching and learning experiences created by this integrated approach. Additionally, the preliminary archaeological findings from our excavations at EePf-54 will be presented, including discussion of how the inclusion of Siksika elders in our field program facilitated archaeological interpretation. Wednesday, October 7th 12-1 PM Delivered via Zoom (meeting ID: 980 8440 9311, passcode: 508188)

Wednesday Sept. 30 is Orange Shirt day, an event created in 2013 to promote awareness of the Indian Residential School system and the dramatic impact it has had... on Indigenous communities for over 100 years. If you can, please consider wearing an orange shirt to mark this important annual event. #artsindigenous

On Sept. 22, 143 years ago in 1877, Treaty Number 7, or the Blackfoot Treaty, was signed between the Blackfoot Confederacy and the Crown at Blackfoot Crossing. ...#Blackfoot #Siksika #Treaty7 #Indigenous #FirstNations #NativeAmerican Illustration by Bruce A. Stapleton, courtesy of Glenbow Museum

Officially wrapped up the first annual (we hope) Siksika Archaeology Field School through our partners at Old Sun Community College, sponsored by TC Energy. The program was a great success with amazing students! Thanks for all your hard work!